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| Esther
Tryban Telser |
President
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| Joanna
Kielczewski Kellogg |
1st Vice President
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| Megan Kaszubinski
Ferraro |
2nd Vice President |
| Robert Groszek |
3rd Vice President |
| Daniel Josephs |
Treasurer |
| Regina Rathnau |
Secretary |
| Alexander Z. Fiedotjew |
Historian |
Officer Biographies
ESTHER
TRYBAN TELSER,
President
Esther
Tryban Telser is a Senior Counsel with the City of Chicago's Department
of Law. Esther has been with the City of Chicago since 1990 and has been
specializing in bankruptcy and collection matters since 1995. Her responsibilities
include collecting from airlines, concessions and other tenants at Chicago's
O'Hare and Midway Airports. Following her graduation from the Law School
of the University of Chicago, Esther was a staff clerk for the United
States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern
Division.
JOANNA
KIELCZEWSKI KELLOGG, First
Vice President
Joanna
Kielczewski Kellogg is the daughter of Polish immigrants. She received
her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
in 1998, where she served as Chief Justice of the International Law Moot
Court Honor Society. She is employed by The Chaet Kaplan Baim Firm, where
she serves as the firm's principal trial attorney. She specializes in
creditor's rights and collections law. As a former collegiate athlete,
she still competes in local road races and has finished two marathons.
She is fluent in Polish.
MEGAN
KASZUBINSKI FERRARO, Second
Vice President
Megan Kaszubinski Ferraro
is a Corporate Counsel for Hyatt Hotels Corporation. She was born and
raised in Elyria, Ohio, approximately 20 miles outside of Cleveland, and
attended college at The Ohio State University. Upon graduation, Megan
took a job with Marsh USA as an employee benefits representative before
attending law school at DePaul University College of Law. While at DePaul,
Megan externed at several government agencies and participated in DePaul's
Student Bar Association. She graduated from DePaul in 2003. Since graduation
Megan has worked as an Assistant Kane County State's Attorney and an Assistant
Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, Individual Defense Litigation
Division. Currently, she serves as in-house counsel for Hyatt Hotels Corporation
where her focus is on commercial litigation. Additionally, Megan is the
Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Federal Trial Bar Training course
and a member of the Association of Corporate Counsel. Megan is a second
generation Polish American whose Grandfather, Walter Kaszubinski, came
to America when he was a child.
ROBERT
P. GROSZEK, Third
Vice President
Robert
P. Groszek is the principal of Groszek Law Firm. Fluent in Polish, Robert
hails from a long lineage of carpenters, including his father who brought
their family to the United States in 1971. Robert is a member of the Polish
National Alliance, Advocates Society of Polish-American Attorneys, and
is the co-chairperson of the Amicus Poloniae Legal Clinic. Robert is also
a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association,
American Bar Association, and Association of Trial Lawyers of America.
Through these channels and others, Robert continues to support the Polish
community and their rights. Robert is a graduate of Purdue University's
Business School and went on to achieve a law degree from Valparaiso University.
Prior to graduating from law school, Robert worked as a carpenter, foreman,
and supervisor for commercial construction projects. Additionally, he
worked as a supervisor at Roadway Express' largest trucking break bulk
where he was a member of the safety committee investigating work-related
injuries. Inspired by his godfather, Judge Stanley P. Lukasik, Robert
pursed a legal career in civil litigation. He experienced working for
the Lake County Indiana Prosecutor's office, the Illinois Attorney General,
Low Income Tax Clinic, and a larger plaintiff's personal injury firm.
Robert is a prosecutor in heart that continually helps the public and
those in need. Robert continues to practice as a prosecutor in all areas
of civil litigation.
DANIEL
JOSEPHS, Treasurer
Biographical
information will be posted soon!
REGINA
RATHNAU, Secretary
Regina
Rathnau is a Manager in KPMG LLC's Accounting Methods and Credit Services
department where she provides tax consulting on complex corporate and
partnership issues. She earned her undergraduate degree in accounting
at the University of Notre Dame in 1997, and she obtained her juris doctor
with a concentration in tax at Loyola University Chicago in 2002. Regina's
grandfather, Alexander Janoski, is a past president of the Advocates Society,
and her father has also been a member of the Advocates Society. She is
an active volunteer with the Tax Assistance Program, which provides tax
return preparation to low-income taxpayers. Regina is also a certified
public accountant.
ALEXANDER
Z. FIEDOTJEW,
Historian
Alex
Fiedotjew is a sole practitioner dedicated to assisting individuals in
protecting their legal rights and resolving their legal disputes. His
late father was a Polish Army officer who, after World War II, created
and administered schools for Polish children displaced in Germany. His
mother, who still resides in the northwest suburbs, was a college student
and teacher in one of those schools. Both came to the United States in
1950, married, and worked hard to secure a better life for themselves,
Alex, and his sister. By their example and spirit, they left Alex with
a deep sense of respect for the hopes and struggles of others, and a commitment
to engagement and service. Alex received his Bachelor's degree from the
University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master's degree from DePaul University.
For 26 years, he worked for the Illinois Department of Human Rights, investigating
employment discrimination cases and serving, as head of the public contract
compliance division. While employed at IDHR, Alex attended the John Marshall
Law School, receiving his J.D. degree in 2001. That same year, he was
admitted to the bar of Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern
District of Illinois. Leaving state service in early 2003, he opened his
private practice where he concentrates on employment related problems
and general legal matters. Alex is co-chair of the Amicus Poloniae legal
clinic serving Chicago's indigent Polish community. He is a current member
of the CBA, the ISBA, the ACLU, and the National Employment Lawyers Association.
Very devoted to classical instrumental and vocal music, Alex has sung
with the Grant Park Symphony Chorus and can be found attempting to play
several musical instruments.
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Friday,
May 16
Copernicus Foundation
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